Farrell's miss lets Deacon snatch victory

Bradford 28 Wigan 26

A last-minute penalty from half-way from the Wigan-born Paul Deacon doomed his home-town club to defeat in a match they should have had safely won.

Wigan led by 14 points shortly before half-time, fell behind to three quick tries early in the second-half and even clawed their way back to level only for their captain, Andy Farrell, to miss the sort of penalty he would normally kick in his sleep.

Changes were widely expected in the Wigan team after last week's defeat by Leeds, but the official explanation for Julian O'Neill's absence was a back injury. Either way it meant one of his periodic switches to stand-off for Farrell, with Simon Houghton making his surprise comeback in the second row.

Bradford, the Super League leaders, went into the game without one of their "Awesome Foursome'', the prop forward Paul Anderson, but with the boost of Tevita Vaikona signing on for another three years.

Bradford seemed to have survived Wigan's early pressure when two of the visitors' young players produced the game's first try. Sean O'Loughlin timed his pass to perfection and Stephen Wild strode through for a try, which Farrell converted. Midway through the half, it got even better for Wigan, with the first of two damaging mistakes from the Bradford captain, Robbie Paul.

His pass to Scott Naylor saw the centre flattened by Brett Dallas and from the lost possession, Wigan probed down the right once more, this time making the break through Paul Johnson, playing his first game since Murrayfield, who set up another converted try from Adrian Lam.

Bradford regained possession from a short kick-off and finally got some points on the board when Deacon's pass sent Michael Withers through. Deacon could not convert but soon added a penalty. Then it was time for another howler from Paul. His expression as he threw a pass straight to Dallas, the fastest man on the field, said it all and Wigan were 18-6 up.

Farrell added a penalty when the Bulls were offside at the kick-off, but Bradford got a toe hold on the game just before half-time when Nathan McAvoy scored from Deacon's kick.

It was a different Bradford after the break, some tremendous support play enabling Vaikona to score seven minutes after the break. Although James Lowes had one disallowed immediately afterwards, they took the lead for the first time when Naylor went over with Deacon kicking the conversion.

It was also Deacon's 40-20 kick that set up the attack from which Withers went over, but Wigan hit back with Lam's darting run and clever pass to Terry Newton. But, after Farrell's miss and botched drop goals by both sides, Newton was the villain, committing a blatant obstruction to give Deacon the match-winning opportunity which he accepted so coolly.

Bradford: Withers, Vaikona, Naylor, Costin, McAvoy, Paul, Deacon, Vagana, Lowes, McDermott, Gartner, Peacock, Forshaw.

Substitutes used: Pryce, Radford, Fielden, Moore.

Wigan: Radlinski, Carney, Johnson, Hodgson, Dallas, Farrell, Lam, O'Connor, Newton, C Smith, Wild, Haughton, Furner.

Substitutes used: O'Laughlin, M Smith, Bibey, Howard.

Referee: R Smith (Castleford.)